Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Warm Yoursula’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Warm Yoursula’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and rounded plant habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; decorative-type inflorescences with elongated oblong-shaped ray florets; light orange-colored ray florets; natural season flowering in mid-September in the Northern Hemisphere; and good garden performance.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar Warm Yoursula.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distict cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium, commercially known as a garden-type Chrysanthemum and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Warm Yoursula’.

The new Chrysanthemum is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar Yoursula, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,641. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within a population of plants of the cultivar Yoursula in a controlled environment in Alva, Fla. in April, 2002. The selection of this plant was based on its desirable inflorescence form, attractive floret coloration and good garden performance.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Alva, Fla. since June, 2002, has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Warm Yoursula has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Warm Yoursula’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Warm Yoursula’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and rounded plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Decorative-type inflorescences with elongated oblong-shaped         ray florets.     -   5. Light orange-colored ray florets.     -   6. Natural season flowering in mid-September in the Northern         Hemisphere.     -   7. Good garden performance.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla. under natural season conditions, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the parent, the cultivar Yoursula, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered about two or three         days later than plants of the cultivar Yoursula.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the cultivar Yoursula         differed in ray floret coloration as plants of the cultivar         Yoursula had light purple-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the Chrysanthemum cultivar Yogretchen, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,672. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla. under natural season conditions, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Yogretchen in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were slightly smaller and         more rounded than plants of the cultivar Yogretchen.     -   2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Chrysanthemum had more         disc florets than inflorescences of plants of the cultivar         Yogretchen.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the cultivar Yogretchen         differed in ray floret coloration as plants of the cultivar         Yogretchen had darker orange-colored ray florets.     -   4. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered three days later         than plants of the cultivar Yogretchen.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can also be compared to plants of the Chrysanthemum cultivar Gedi Two Omol, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,382. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla. under natural season conditions, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Gedi Two Omol in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were shorter and more rounded         than plants of the cultivar Gedi Two Omol.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered more uniformly than         plants of the cultivar Gedi Two Omol.     -   3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Chrysanthemum had more         disc florets than inflorescences of plants of the cultivar Gedi         Two Omol.     -   4. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum resisted         fading better than ray florets of plants of the cultivar Gedi         Two Omol.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Chrysanthemum. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Chrysanthemum.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Warm Yoursula’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises a close-up view of typical inflorescences of the cultivar ‘Warm Yoursula’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Leamington, Ontario, Canada during the late summer and fall in an outdoor nursery and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial garden-type Chrysanthemum production. One cutting was planted in a 15.25-cm container in mid-July. During the production of the plants, plants were exposed to natural season photoperiodic conditions with day temperatures averaging 26° C. and night averaging 18° C. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar Warm     Yoursula. -   Commercial classification: Decorative-type garden Chrysanthemum. -   Parentage: Naturally-occuring whole plant mutation of the     Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar Yoursula, disclosed in U.S. Plant     Pat. No. 13,641. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, year-round.—About four days at 21°             C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, year-round.—About ten to             twelve days at 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Perennial herbaceous             decorative-type garden Chrysanthemum. Inverted triangle with             rounded crown. Stems initially upright, then outwardly             spreading. Freely branching with about 14 lateral branches             per plant. Moderately vigorous.         -   Plant height.—About 14 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 20 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 12.5 cm. Diameter: About             4 mm. Internode length: About 1.3 cm. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 146A.         -   Foliage description.—Leaf arrangement: Alternate. Length:             About 2.8 cm. Width: About 2.7 cm. Apex: Mucronate. Base:             Attenuate to truncate. Margin: Palmately and deeply lobed;             sinuses mostly divergent. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Pubescent. Color: Developing foliage, upper surface: More             green than 147A. Developing foliage, lower surface: Close to             146A. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: More green than             147A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: More green than             147B. Venation, upper suface: Close to 147A. Venation, lower             surface: Close to 146A. Petiole: Length: About 1.7 cm.             Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Decorative-type inflorescence form with             elongated oblong-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences borne on             terminals above foliage, arising from leaf axils. Disc and             ray florets developing acropetally on a capitulum.             Inflorescences face mostly upright or outwardly.             Inflorescences hemispherical in shape. Freely flowering             habit; about eight inflorescences develop per lateral             branch. Inflorescences persistent. Inflorescences not             fragrant.         -   Flowering response.—Under natural season conditions, plants             flower in mid-September in the Northern Hemisphere.         -   Inflorescence bud (before showing color).—Height: About             7 mm. Diameter: About 8 mm. Shape: Oblate. Color (lower             surface of phyllaries): More green than 147A.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 3.5 cm. Depth (height):             About 1.5 cm. Disc diameter: About 3 mm. Receptacle             diameter: About 4 mm. Receptacle height: About 6 mm.         -   Ray florets.—Shape: Elongated oblong. Length: About 1.7 cm.             Corolla tube length: About 3.5 mm. Width: About 5 mm. Apex:             Emarginate. Margin: Fused. Texture: Smooth, glabrous;             satiny. Surface: Concave. Orientation: Initially upright,             then perpendicular to the peduncle. Number of ray florets             per inflorescence: About 190 in numerous whorls. Color: When             opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 6A faintly             overlain with 46A. Fully opened, upper surface: 10A less             faintly overlain with close to 45A to 46A. Fully opened,             lower surface: 10A to 10C.         -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular; apex dentate, five-pointed.             Length: About 4 mm. Width, apex: About 1.5 mm. Width, base:             About 1 mm. Number of disc florets per inflorescence: Very             few, less than 15; inconspicuous. Color: Immature: Close to             154A. Mature: Apex: Close to 9A. Mid-section: Close to 154D.             Base: Close to 155D.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 18. Length:             About 7 mm. Width: About 4 mm. Shape: Deltoid, elongated.             Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate, fused. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper surface: Smooth, waxy. Texture, lower surface:             Pubescent. Color, upper surface: More green than 146A.             Color, lower surface: More green than 147A.         -   Peduncle.—Length: First peduncle: About 4.1 cm. Fourth             peduncle: About 7.2 cm. Seventh peduncle: About 8.4 cm.             Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 35             to 40° from vertical. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to             146A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Anther color: Close to 12A. Pollen: None observed.             Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc florets.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not     been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Chrysanthemums. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not been     observed to be have good garden performance and to be tolerant to     rain, wind and temperatures ranging from 0 to greater than 38° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Warm Yoursula’, as illustrated and described. 